Forecast

E-cigarette curb gains

on August 9, 2014

Albany

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New York's attorney general has joined counterparts from more than two-dozen other states urging federal regulators to impose restrictions on electronic cigarettes with a ban on more than 7,000 flavors now available.

In a letter Friday to the Food and Drug Administration, they say limits on advertising and prohibiting flavors besides tobacco and menthol will help protect minors.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says that while they contain no tobacco, e-cigarettes have all the same addictive qualities as regular cigarettes.

In April, the federal agency proposed treating e-cigarettes as tobacco products, putting them under its regulatory control.

Cigarette maker Altria says the FDA should determine appropriate product standards and marketing restrictions based on science and evidence, respect adult consumer preferences and not automatically apply cigarette restrictions to e-vapor products, which are different.